(Press-News.org) new study from Simon Fraser University researchers examines the Canadian military’s efforts to reduce the impacts of underwater noise pollution on species during training exercises in the Pacific Ocean but caveat that more can still be done.
The paper, published today in Marine Policy, takes aim at a report commissioned by the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) to reduce the effects of noise pollution from military small-arms munitions training within “Whiskey Hotel”, a 330-square-kilometre area in the Strait of Juan de Fuca off the British Columbia coast.
The military commissioned the report after it committed to pausing exercises in the area for three years to examine the risk in-air and underwater training noises pose to marine mammals, such as the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
With the report complete, the military has indicated it plans to resume training activities in Whiskey Hotel and will implement measures to reduce the impact of noise pollution, such as mitigation avoidance zones, cease-fire procedures, and marine species awareness training.
While researchers acknowledge the report and the mitigation measures as a positive step forward, the SFU-led paper analyzing the original report found several limitations.
For example, the report only looked at the noise pollution created by small arms fire and didn’t consider the significant noise created by the military vessels themselves. The report also focused on marine mammals and didn’t take into account the impact noise pollution also has on local populations of fish, such as salmon, and invertebrates in the area.
Researchers say more can be done in the future to protect fish and invertebrates from noise pollution, especially as the federal government continues to develop a national plan to manage and mitigate the impacts of underwater vessel noise on marine species and their ecosystems.
“It’s important to be clear: this report is a step in the right direction. The government is developing an ocean noise strategy, so legislation on this topic is currently lacking, and activities that pertain to national security will be largely exempt from regulations. Commissioning an investigation and implementing mitigation measures is a conservation success story, one that I’m keen to see this improved upon and used in the future,” says SFU biological sciences postdoctoral fellow Kieran Cox, the lead author of the study.
“I am hopeful that this framework can be adapted to consider all marine life and sources of noise pollution noise, which is needed as we move towards an Ocean Noise Strategy that can inform the coming decades.”
END
SFU researchers sound out Canadian military’s plan to combat ocean noise pollution
2023-12-01
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Coverage of Bruce Willis’ frontotemporal degeneration shows media misconstrues the disease
2023-12-01
A new paper in Innovation in Aging, published by Oxford University Press, shows that a great deal of media coverage of the actor Bruce Willis’ condition, frontotemporal degeneration, was inaccurate, revealing the public’s limited knowledge of the disease.
In 2022, Willis’ family released a statement saying that he had been diagnosed with aphasia, an acquired language impairment, and would retire from acting. Ten months later, the family issued another statement indicating doctors had diagnosed Willis with a more specific condition, frontotemporal degeneration. ...
Potential pitfalls when using the Cre-LoxP system in cancer research
2023-12-01
“One limitation [of Cre-LoxP], the focus of this editorial, is the potential loss of fidelity of Cre recombinase expression especially in the context of modeling cancer in mice.”
BUFFALO, NY- December 1, 2023 – A new editorial paper was published in Oncoscience (Volume 10) on November 14, 2023, entitled, “Be mindful of potential pitfalls when using the Cre-LoxP system in cancer research.”
In this new editorial, researchers Piotr Czarnota and Jaroslaw Cisowski from Jagiellonian University discuss Cre-LoxP — a widely used system to conditionally modify gene expression in mouse models of cancer and other diseases.
“It ...
CHOP researchers discover deep structural biology connections that help improve CAR therapy
2023-12-01
Philadelphia, December 1, 2023 – Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) have opened up an exciting new field of therapeutic advancements for rare and difficult-to-treat cancers, as they have the ability to deliver targeted therapies that can kill tumor cells. Peptide-centric CARs (PC-CARs) rely on specific peptide “barcodes,” which are derived from proteins within the cell created by potentially cancer-causing oncogenes, are designed to find and target cancer cells. These “barcodes” are displayed by human leukocyte antigens (HLAs), which help the immune system distinguish its own proteins from foreign invaders, ...
Can preeclampsia be prevented?
2023-12-01
NEWS RELEASE
EMBARGOED UNTIL FRI, DEC. 1 -- 2:00 P.M. EASTERN
Contact
Colleen McDonald - Sr. Consultant, Earned Media
414.801.3146 | cmcdonald@mcw.edu
Milwaukee, Wis. – Dec. 1, 2023 – Preeclampsia is a mysterious condition that occurs in about one of 10 pregnancies without any early warning signs. After 20 weeks or more of normal blood pressure during the pregnancy, patients with preeclampsia will begin to experience elevated blood pressure and may also have increased levels of protein in their urine due to hypertension reducing the filtering power of the kidneys. Prolonged hypertension due ...
Meditation training can support wellbeing in older adults
2023-12-01
Following an 18-month meditation programme can improve the wellbeing of older adults, finds a new randomised controlled trial by an international team co-led by UCL.
The findings, published in PLOS ONE, show that meditation can improve people’s awareness, connection to others, and insight.
While the meditation training did not confer significant benefits on two commonly used measures of psychological wellbeing and quality of life, the researchers say their findings may reveal limitations in existing methods of tracking wellbeing.
Lead author Marco Schlosser (UCL Psychiatry and University of Geneva) said: “As the global population ...
Research shows human behavior guided by fast changes in dopamine levels
2023-12-01
What happens in the human brain when we learn from positive and negative experiences? To help answer that question and better understand decision-making and human behavior, scientists are studying dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain that serves as a chemical messenger, facilitating communication between nerve cells in the brain and the body. It is involved in functions such as movement, cognition and learning. While dopamine is most known for its association with positive emotions, scientists are also exploring ...
Scientists navigate uncharted waters in fish immunology research
2023-12-01
Upon infection or immunization, all jawed vertebrate species generate proteins called antibodies that bind and neutralize pathogens. Strong and long-lasting antibody responses in warm-blooded species such as mammals are produced in secondary lymphoid microstructures (SLMs) among which germinal centers (GCs) are the centerpiece. Despite the apparent absence of GCs or similar SLMs in cold-blooded vertebrates (e.g., fish), these species can mount significant antibody responses that can persist for several months. Thus, for decades, the outstanding question has remained as to how and where ...
Study explores how pre- and postnatal B-12 vitamins improve breast milk vitamin B-12 levels, which supports infant brain development
2023-12-01
Babies and children need vitamins, including vitamin B-12, to help their brains and bodies develop and grow. Babies get B-12 from their mothers and can have low levels of B-12 if their mothers had low vitamin levels during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The vitamin B-12 levels of infants strongly depend on maternal levels. Adequacy of vitamin B-12 in breast milk is particularly important for infants during the first six months of life when breastfeeding is highly recommended. Even after the first six months of life, breast milk may continue ...
Botany must feature more prominently on the school curriculum to promote awareness of climate change, study warns
2023-12-01
Children must be taught more about the importance of plants if education about climate change and sustainability is to be effective, experts have warned.
Botany should feature more heavily in the school curriculum, and be a greater focus of educational policy, the study says.
It warns neither the importance of plants for sustainability or the threats facing many of them are adequately represented in science education. While the problem has been identified for some time, attempts to address it have often struggled to gain a foothold in science education practice.
Dr Bethan Stagg from the University of Exeter and Professor Justin Dillon ...
ADA Forsyth scientists work to bring tissue regeneration to replace root canal treatment
2023-12-01
Cambridge, MA - Want to avoid a root canal? In the future, you might be able to opt for tissue regeneration instead. ADA Forsyth scientists are testing a novel technology to treat endodontic diseases (diseases of the soft tissue or pulp in your teeth) more effectively. The study, “RvE1 Promotes Axin2+Cell Regeneration and Reduces Bacterial Invasion,” which appeared in The Journal of Dental Research, demonstrates regenerative properties of resolvins, specifically Resolvin E1 (RvE1), when applied to dental pulp. Resolvins ...